Apologies
by Doctor-River
Summary: -Continuation of 'The Doctor needs a Song.'  River needs the Doctor with her and the Doctor needs River. Her life is falling apart, as is his without her. They need to be together...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a follow on to my story 'The Doctor needs a Song.' so I'd advise you to read that before continuing with this one. Also, there are some brief references to some of my other stories... It's something different, so enjoy! =)**

51st century Earth, a loud and busy night club in the city centre, the perfect place for one to drown their sorrows and misery with alcohol and deafening music...

At the bar of the night club a woman sat on a barstool. She had wild blonde curls that had been tamed by a hair-scrunchie and she was wearing a mini skirt with a low-cut top and an open leather jacket which got men curious despite the fact that she wasn't interested.

Her make-up had run slightly down her tearful face and her eyes were blood-shot. Her head now rests on the counter buried in her arms as she sobbed.

"...River..." a comforting hand was placed on her shoulder. "It's okay. Everything will turn out for the better." The American accent sounded rather confident. The hand rubbed her shoulder gently, trying to comfort her.

The woman lifted her head slowly and more tears came streaming down her cheeks. She turned to face the man sitting next to her. She grabbed hold of her glass of Scotch and gulped it down. The ice cubes clanging against the glass as she slammed it onto the counter.

She still had some shots on the counter as well, just to try and make her forget for one night. This was a lot of alcohol, but River thought that she could handle it just as long as she didn't have to remember the misery. The drink she had just swallowed was her fourteenth and by now she should surely be drunk enough...

"...My life is a wreck..." she sighed still sounding fairly sober. "I have no job, I've lost my best friends, my home was raided by Stormcage Officers, I'm not even supposed to be in the city _and _to top that all off, I now know how and when I'm going to die!" her voice rose out of rage but, trembled out of sadness. "Things couldn't possibly get any worse..."

The man looked at her sympathetically. He exhaled. "It may seem like there's no hope right now, but just around the corner there's always a trickle of hope seeping out and it's up to you to find the source..." he spoke wisely and soothingly. "...I've had many personal experiences!" he mumbled out of humour afterwards- referring to his immortality state.

"Jack... I barely know you; yet it seems as if we've known each other forever... thanks for trying." She looked at him for a moment. His tight black shirt showed off his muscular torso but, his long jacket concealed his well-built arms. His face looked so familiar and so friendly.

"...Smile? You'll feel better." Jack asked. The tears had stopped running down her face and she forced a very faint smile out of the corner of her deep red lips.

"There... you see? It'll all turn out better if you just have faith." He returned the smile, only his was wider and more meaningful.

She sighed again and rolled her eyes at disgust of herself. "I'm... I'm sorry, Jack. I can't do it; I just... don't have as much faith as you do..." She held her head in her hand and rested her elbow on the counter.

Jack grabbed hold of River just below her shoulders and forced her body to face him. "Yes... you... can do it." He stared at her and spoke strongly. "You don't need him every second of your life; he can't always be there for you!" he shook her slightly as he spoke.

She sobbed again; his words had hit her hard. "Yes I do, Jack..." she whimpered and drew a deep breath. "He's... my husband..." she confessed. "_I_ need him... and _he_ needs me..." her voice was trembling. She picked up a shot glass and tipped her head back so the liquid could slide down her throat. At the same time, Jack had gulped down a shot as well he needed a strong drink too.

"...It may seem like that but, you don't. He can show you the wonders of the universe and take to places beyond your imagination but, it's up to you to make yourself worthy of his trust. You, River, have earned the right to travel the stars with the Doctor once upon a time but, remember he can't die and he doesn't age, he wouldn't want to see someone he cares about wither away and die... You have to understand that." Jack tried to make her see things from a different point of view- the view point of one who can't die of one who's seen someone they care about leave their life.

River grabbed the Scotch glass again and tightened her grip on it. "I know... but, I just need him here right now, he's the only one who can help me get through this... My Doctor, my husband..." Tears streamed down her cheeks again, her rage was boiling as her sadness was flooding.

"Just stop and think for a moment..." he grabbed her again and looked right into her soul. "What do you think he'll think of you when he sees you like this?"

River shoved Jack away aggressively and defensively as the tears just kept coming. "Stop it... just stop it!" she yelled. Her emotions overpowered her body, the sadness and the anger and the love. She tossed the glass across the counter and it smashed into small pieces as it hit the wall behind the bar.

River cried and cried and she didn't care about anything else apart from being with the Doctor... forever.

A barman then approached the shattered glass with a small dust pan and brush almost instinctively. He knelt down in front of it and began sweeping, not saying a word to anyone as he swept. He overheard River and Jack's conversation and he sighed out of pity. After he had swept up all of the glass, he tipped it into the bin and stood at the bar just in front of River who was crying on the counter top again.

"...River..." the barman said.

River lifted her head to see who spoke, she knew it wasn't Jack. "Wha-..." she was cut off by a pair of lips tenderly caressing against hers...


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter seems a bit short but, I was trying to make this one more emotional than anything else. Thanks to PrettyPinkOrchard for reading and giving her opinion before I posted, I have decided that this story is now dedicated to her and my fellow Doctor/River shippers such as : rosexknight and Interface. Also, the next chapter may be delayed due to exams and a very busy schedule recently, I'll try to write and post it as soon as I can. But, for the mean time, enjoy :)**

The lips were strangely familiar as they continued to press against hers. For a split second, she embraced the loving kiss then froze. It just didn't feel quite right...

She pulled away from the unexpected kiss, puzzled. She looked at the figure that stood before her, it was him...

"...Hello Sweetie." He teased in the same manner as she so often does to him.

She gasped in shock and tears began to form in her eyes again. "Doctor?... But, what are you doing here, I thought you left me." Her voice trembled and shaky.

"I came to see you, to see how you were feeling after last week... I am so sorry you had to find out like that... I've been feeling so bad ever since and I... want to make things right, just like how they used to be."

"No, no, no... You're not supposed to be here, you can't see me like this!" She sighed and shook her head.

"Well, I told him to come here. Although, I wasn't expecting it to turn out like this..." Jack interrupted. He placed his hand on River's thigh and looked at her.

The Doctor glanced over at Jack. "I think me and River should talk alone for a minute, if you don't mind..." Jack obeyed and he wondered off outside.

"River..." the Doctor began with her beautiful name that tastes so sweet every time he says it.

"No, Doctor! You can't see me like this, you chose me to be with you because you trusted me and knew that you could always count on me... but, look at me... the universe would be in shock as to how low I've fallen." She lost eye-contact with the Doctor as her eyes began to twinkle when the tears started coming.

The Doctor wiped away the first tear with his thumb and he leaned his head close to hers. "I love you so much, that the only thing that matters to me is being with you, River..." He wanted to kiss her, to hold her, love her and _make_ love to her with all of the passion they used to share before they kept leaving each other for various reasons that were slowly becoming issues in their lives.

"... I'm sorry..." she whispered as the tears rolled down her cheek. She spun on her heels and ran towards the doors. Her cheeks became wetter as she continued to cry. She forced the door open with a mighty push so hard that it nearly flew off the hinges and she continued running.

"River... wait!" the Doctor called out. He leapt over the bar and began to pursue River outside. She was a pretty fast runner, even in high heeled sandals!

River kept running straight down the street, she wasn't paying attention as to where she was going, as long as it was away from him.

As the Doctor went outside her heard Jack's confused voice. "Doctor... was that River? What happened?" he interrogated with a worried tone.

"I need to go after her, I'll sort it don't worry." And with that, he was off down the steps skipping two at a time.

Jack watched on from the side of the club doors as the Doctor slowly became that of a silhouette in the night. He wanted to help, but he felt as if he would just be another issue in their relationship if he interfered anymore.

The Doctor ran as fast as he could. His hearts were screaming at him to keep going, he was being powered by his love for this woman. He could just about see her in the distance- she was too far in front for him to call out her name, he just hoped that she would tire out soon so he could catch up to her.

As River kept on running her tears kept on flowing down her cheeks as she thought and thought about what she has done to herself, how disappointed her husband should be to find her like this. She forced herself to stay on her feet, at least until she could get out of the city back to her hideaway cottage in the countryside.

As she looked up to see where she was running, she noticed something... something that made her heart freeze and her breathing pause. Her feet became cemented to the ground as she stared blankly to her left. She turned her body to face her house, her raided and abandoned house. Her heart sank into a deep, dark abyss so far down that it may have reached beyond the point of no return.

She took a hesitant and shaky step towards the door followed by another, each one becoming more and more painful, like a sharp cold dagger penetrating her heart and piercing a deep hole through it. As she walked up the steps, her legs were trembling and she started to feel a sickening pain in her stomach. River pushed open the door and it creaked open at an angle- only hanging on by the bottom hinge.

She took a step inside and her head turned in all directions inspecting her living room. She stood in the middle of the room looking at all of the moved furniture, scattered papers and objects all over the place. It felt as if the universe was swallowing her up into Hell there and then, the pain was so unbearable.


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor was sprinting as fast as he could to keep up with River. He looked up and saw her dark shadow enter a house. An ordinary house on the street and he questioned why that house, as far as he knew she lived in a countryside cottage.

As he reached the steps he leapt up them and he just about read the name on the mailbox 'River Song.' It was _her _house, why didn't he know about it? He gently nudges the door and it slanted to the side as it creaked open. The darkness loomed inside the house as well as on the street outside.

His eyes wondered around the living room that had been left in a messy state after the raid. He noticed River sobbing as she curled up against the wall and his eyes fell on her. Her head was buried in her arms and she refused to look up as he approached. River's emotions were just too strong to hold back any more and she had obviously had a breakdown.

"River... it's okay now, I'm here." He comforted as he knelt beside her.

"No, it's not okay, Doctor. You can't see me like this, my life is a wreck and ever since I came back I've began to wonder what the point in coming back was." She wept when she slowly lifted her head to meet the Doctor's concerned gaze. Her eyes were blood-shot and still full of unshed tears.

"All I care about is being with you, River, the love of my life... That's the _only_ thing that has ever mattered..." he placed a hand on her cheek and wiped away a tear with his thumb. "I'm your husband, I have to help you and I'm not leaving you... You can't keep blaming yourself-"

"Yes, I can! If I hadn't pleaded you to take me on 'just one more trip' each time then I would've came back here earlier and not be in as much trouble as I am now... I made my life like this. It is all my fault that I've fallen so low... I made me like this, not you." Her eyes wondered to the floor. She didn't want to face this man when she was depressed.

"No, River. It isn't your fault, it _never_ is... It's mine; I wanted to keep you all to myself, so no one else could have you. I know I shouldn't have and I promise you that I'm going to fix this." The Doctor promised as he clasped his hands to River's face to force her to look at him as he made the biggest promise of his life. Her green eyes stared at him apologetically, although she didn't need to apologise for anything.

He leaned close to her and rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. His lips met River's and he kissed her, his tongue entered her mouth and she embraced it. The Doctor loves her so much, wants her so much and he has missed her kissing the most. But, something isn't right...

River stops kissing him her lips part with his and she gently nudges him away by his forearms. "...I'm sorry..." she whispered as she quickly stood and ran up the stairs behind her. A sharp and burning pain was coming from her stomach. As she reached the top of the stairs, she slammed a door closed- the bathroom door. River leaned over the toilet and she started coughing. A burning hot liquid came out with each cough and she still cried out of both pain and misery. River was wasted and depressed- not a good combination.

Meanwhile, the Doctor still kneeling where his wife was just moments ago was frozen in thought. "It's all my fault; I took her away from her life for too long... Her real life and it cost her everything just for my own selfishness..." the Doctor sighed as he rose from the floor. He was mentally kicking himself for getting too involved with a human.

As he glanced around the room once more, he began to ponder... what River's life would've been like if he hadn't taken her away for so long. He pictured her smiling and with her friends, she was happy and he would just pop in for an occasional visit. But, then he further explored that theory and started to wonder what River's life would be like if she never remembered him, he could do that and make her life better. She wouldn't have lost her home or her friends; she wouldn't have been constantly hunted down by the Stormcage Officers and most importantly: She wouldn't have died in that damn Library.

The Doctor shuddered at the thought of the Library. Just mentioning it makes his blood run cold and his spine tremble. He closed his eyes to conceal the tears welling up inside them and all he could see was that woman dying right in front of him as he watched helplessly. His eyes inched open and the tears began to fall. "I wanted to save you, I really did and I've messed up your life but, you still forgave me and sacrificed it all to save me... I'm so sorry my love." He whispered to the air as he still thought about River. He eyes looked up the staircase as he hoped that she heard his apology.

He froze for a moment. It was quiet, too quiet and the Doctor began to worry as the only sound he could hear was his own shallow breathing when moments ago he could hear River vomiting upstairs. His concern overwhelmed him and he darted up the stairs to the bathroom.

"River!" he cried from the top of his lungs.

**A/N: The rest of this story is going to be on hold as I have once again inspired myself! I started to wonder about what _would've_ happened in the Library if River didn't remember the Doctor... So, I have started to write a new story based on this thought and I will try to update this one as soon as I can along with my new story. Hope you all enjoy! =)**


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctor ran up the staircase, his hearts were pounding against his chest out of fear. As he reached the landing, he froze for a second to listen and see if he could hear anything coming from the bathroom.

"River?" he questioned.

He took a careful pace towards the bathroom door and another. His shaky hand reached for the door knob and he gripped it tightly. As he twisted it and pushed the door open he inhaled deeply.

When the Doctor peered around the door, the sight before him was shocking. His eyes widened in shock as he saw River collapsed on the bathroom floor with a large smear of blood on the wall behind her. The Doctor flung the door fully open and he ran to her and knelt by her side. He leaned her head forwards and saw a patch of blood-soaked hair on the back of her head.

"River... River, wake up... please!" he panicked as he placed his hands on River's cheeks. Her face was cold to the touch but, it felt wet form the tears that she had shed.

River groaned with agony and her eyes slowly opened. "...Doctor?... What are you doing here?" she barely managed to speak.

"I'm going to look after you." The Doctor comforted sounding serious and determined to help despite River's various arguments.

He stood up and walked to the sink and picked up a glass on the side. He turned on the tap and filled up the glass with water, when it was full he blew over the top of it and it began to glow orange. He offered the glass to River.

"Regenerative Particles... it works better in tea, but this will do for now. It'll cure your wounds." River took the glass and she sipped it.

"Thanks..." she whispered.

"Now, you rest." The Doctor demanded in a friendly tone. "The Doctor knows best..." he chimed and grinned at his rhyme.

He extended a hand to lift River up. River smiled and grabbed hold of the Doctor's hand and as she slowly rose the Doctor wrapped his other arm around her to support her. The Doctor started to lead her out of the bathroom and she stumbled at first, she was too weak to support herself.

"Easy does it..." the Doctor coaxed.

One careful step at a time, the Doctor and River had made it to River's bedroom. The Doctor pushed open the door, one arm never leaving River's waist as he pushed it open.

The room was dark and furniture had been scattered everywhere and left unclean since the raid. Her bed remained remotely tidy and the Doctor guided River to the bed to so she could rest.

"Now, just relax and rest for a few hours. When you wake up in a few hours, I'll make you some tea with Regeneration particles in to make you feel one hundred percent better..." The Doctor smiled down to her as she rested her head against the pillow.

He knelt down beside her and stroked her face with one of his hands. "I love you..." he mouthed those three powerful words to her and he tried to as much as he could while he still can. He leaned into River and kissed her on the forehead. Then he rose and slowly walked out of the room gently pulling the door closed as he departed.

As River lay on the bed, she thought about her wonderful husband. "He's always there for me whenever I need him. I shouldn't be running from him..." she thought. River turned on her side and she lifted her hand with her wedding ring on it, the galaxy inside still sparkling beautifully. She smiled and a tear ran down her cheek, she closed her eyes and tried to rest.

The Doctor quietly wondered back down the stairs and sat on the sofa reading a book that was lying on the floor. He paused in mid-paragraph and continued with his train of thought from where he had left off. He sighed as he remembered what he was thinking and his eyes scanned the living room when he tried to take his mind off of it.

The Doctor saw a picture frame on the floor that was lying on the clear side. He picked it up and turned it over so the picture was face up. A smile grew from the corner of the Doctor's mouth as he looked at the picture. Then, he felt a wet substance fall from his eye and roll down his cheek- a tear. It wasn't just out of sadness but, happiness and sorrow and love all combined.

The glass in the frame was cracked but, the picture remained perfectly preserved from the day it had been taken. The photo was a wedding photo- _their _wedding photo. The Doctor stood tall and proud to be with his beautiful wife, his suit was a sharp black tuxedo with a bow-tie because it was cool. River was standing next to him with the bouquet of flowers in her hands. She was smiling at the camera, she looked so happy and mesmerizingly beautiful with her hair pinned back in a formal bun and the dress flattered every curve on her body so well. His arm was wrapped around her waist, that day he promised her so much and as he recalled the events of that day, his hearts began to weep and slowly split in two parts.

"I promised I'd never leave you again... on that day I planned to stick by that promise the most. But, I didn't and I'm so sorry for lying to you again." He sobbed as his finger ran across the glass that protected the picture. The rough edge was sharp against his finger tip but, it didn't make him bleed. In some way he hoped that it did.

As he pressed down the button to get the kettle boiling for the tea he promised, he heard coughing from upstairs. "Not again..." he panicked.

He ran up and flung open the bedroom door and he saw River leaning over her bed coughing. Nothing was coming out though.

"Are you okay, River?" he questioned kneeling beside her. He stroked her cheek with his hand and he observed her tired and ill-looking face. "Look at me..." he demanded. He placed his hands on either side of her face forcing her to look at him. The Doctor's eyes carefully scanned her.

"I'm fine..." She smiled and she gently moved the Doctor's caring hands away. She held her head in her hand for a moment. "... Damn hangover..." she sighed.

The Doctor kneeled closer to her and kissed her forehead.

"Okay, I'll be back in a minute with some tea and this time I won't leave you... this sort of thing always happens when I leave."

"Hey! I can take care of myself." River argued.

"Really...?" he raised an eyebrow and smiled at her.

The Doctor had recovered from his mini heart attacks that he just had out of pure nerve. He went back downstairs into the kitchen, trying to be quick as he worried whenever he left River alone.

The Doctor poured the hot water into the mug and as he stirred it he blew over the top and regeneration particles flowed into the mug. He removed the tea bag and threw it in the bin, then went back up the stairs, two at a time and he slowly opened the door trying not to spill any of it.

"...Your tea, m'love." He grinned.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry about the looooooong delay of this chapter, I did say that my other story would be my main priority and I've had a lot of other stuff going on as well. But, I finally managed to write it so enjoy!**

River smiled as the Doctor entered with her tea. The mug was steaming hot and the liquid inside was glowing a healthy orange from the regeneration particles. He stepped closer to the bed and leaned close to her, he kissed her on the forehead and then handed her the mug.

"Thanks Sweetie." River smiled taking a sip. It was warm and soothing; the flavour took away the taste of alcohol and vomit.

The Doctor came and sat by her; he placed a hand on her back between her shoulder blades and rubbed gently.

"I'm always here for you, River... you know that." He whispered into her ear.

She nodded taking another sip and placing the mug into her lap. Her clothes smelt like the bar she was in earlier. The Doctor sighed heavily.

"...Then why did you so this?" he questioned, concerned about her. "Why did you run away from me?" he tried to make eye contact with her, to try and see what she was feeling.

River just looked at the ground and shrugged her shoulders. She kept tapping her fingers on the side of the mug as a distraction.

"...River..." her name slipped off the Doctor's tongue with his sigh. He put his hands on her shoulders and tried to make her look at him. "Why?" he asked again. He gripped her tightly. "...Tell me, please." He begged wanting an answer.

"Doctor, I..." River began with a trembling voice.

Her eyes started to fill up with tears that began to fall down her face. The Doctor's hearts fell, he thought of himself as being responsible for making her cry again. He pulled her close to him until her body was pressed against his and he embraced her, trying to comfort her.

"Oh River, I'm so sorry." He whispered gently rocking her from side to side. He kissed her forehead and brushed her curls behind her ear.

She leaned her head on his torso and she could feel his hearts beating on the side of her head as she listened to the thumping.

"...No. no it's not you at all." She said, wiping away a few tears that streamed down her cheeks.

"Then what is it, River?" the Doctor looked at her, trying to read her emotions.

"...It's just... me being me." She shrugged her shoulders again; her excuse was not fooling the Doctor.

"River...?" the Doctor said; he knew she was hiding something. He wrapped his arms tighter around her refusing to let go.

She looked up at him. He wanted to know more and as their eyes locked in a burning gaze of passion, she understood.

"I'm fine really." She reassured him.

"Okay... fine then... if you don't want to tell me, then don't..." he finally gave in. "But, you know I'm always here for you River, always..." he said breaking the moment of silence.

She nodded. "Of course, you are _my _Doctor and you come when I call."

"That's my speciality!" he grinned.

"...Just not on time." River teased with a faint smile.

"Hey!" he laughed as he leaned in to kiss her on her deep red lips.

"Doctor..." River began; her eyes were staring at the floor as she spoke. "...Promise you'll never leave me for _that_ long again."

"I promise, until the end of the universe." The Doctor replied placing his hand under River's chin and lifting her head up to look him in the eyes. "I won't leave you unless you want me to."

"I'd never want that." She whispered.

"Well... The only time that I would ever leave is so that you can get some rest, deal?" he asked with a smile. He was implying that she needed a long rest.

"...Deal." she added with a faint giggle. Then she unexpectedly yawned.

"You seriously need some sleep, Sweetie." The Doctor advised.

"Yeah..." River exhaled heavily, leaning her head on the Doctor and slowly closing her eyes, she began to drift off.

The Doctor moved so he could rest River's head on the pillow and he pulled the covers over her. He kissed her on her forehead and tip-toed out of the room, he pulled the door steadily closed behind him. "Sleep tight, my love." He whispered.

As he walked down the stairs, he thought. He thought about River, all that has happened to her recently and he couldn't help but feel guilty. He wanted to make things right, meddle once more in her life without her consulting. This would be the last time, the onetime to fix everything.

"I won't be gone long..." he promised as he walked out of the front door and made his way to the TARDIS down the street.

River lay peacefully in her bed for a few long hours. She stirred and woke, her eyes adjusted to the light and she scanned the room. The Doctor was nowhere to be found.

River was worried, she lifted herself up and sat upright in her bed wondering why he wasn't there, hoping that he would be back soon. Just as she thought, her eyes caught sight of a note on her bedside table.

She reached her hand towards the note and picked it up to read. It said

'_I'll be back very soon my darling River, I promise. I am just trying to fix one small thing and then I'll be yours for eternity._

_Sleep well,_

_The Doctor xx'_

She smiled, he obviously had a major issue to commit to and she understood- as long as it didn't take too long and didn't put his life at risk, she was fine with it.

She walked down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. She was still tired but, felt better than earlier. Her head was pounding but, she was used to these hangovers after a long and stressful while of trying to cope.

For breakfast River wanted to have something that took minimal effort to prepare. She had a sweet and sour pot noodle.

As she ate, River waited for her Doctor to return at any moment. Her eyes kept looking towards the door, or even the window to see if the TARDIS would appear and bring him back to her.

In the winds a faint sound whispered. It grew louder and louder, it was oh so familiar- the TARDIS. River's heart began to sing as she immediately recognised the sound.

"He's back!" she chimed throwing her empty pot with fork on the table and sprinting to the back door. She quickly pulled her dressing gown over her more securely before she would let anyone see her.

She pulled open the door and leapt outside to see the TARDIS perched on the grass in the middle of her garden. But something wasn't right...

It was too quiet and the Doctor was not coming outside. River started to grow concerned; she grabbed her key from inside and pushed it into the lock. As she opened the door, there was nothing but an unnerving silence.

She briefly scanned the room for any sign of the Doctor, she was completely alone. River was gutted as she was expecting a warm and loving welcome from her Doctor- instead a stone-cold silence that made her heart sink.

Something just caught River's eye. On the back of the door was a small piece of paper with some co-ordinates on it with the message

'_Enter these into the TARDIS and step outside; what are you waiting for, Song?_

_The Doctor xx'_

River was puzzled but she obeyed the note and she walked over to the control panel and entered the co-ordinates. Having no idea where she was going, River was both excited and nervous- she trusted the Doctor with her life, she knew she wouldn't be put in any danger.

She just wanted to see him again. He promised to be with her, he wouldn't break a promise to her of all people...


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: sorry if the ending seems rushed but I didn't quite know how to end it... Hope it's still good =)**

The TARDIS began to materialise at the unknown location. River strolled over to the door and pulled it open; the bright sun illuminated the room. She took a step outside and took a brief look around. The planet was full of vast green fields and high-rise, eco-friendly buildings with trails of hover cars flying above.

A large tree was firmly standing a few feet in front of the TARDIS and pinned to it was yet another note- presumably for River. She walked over to it and removed the pin. This note read

'_Put on some formal wear and come to the restaurant in the city centre._

_The Doctor xx'_

The address of the restaurant was written on the back of the paper. As she read the note again, River looked over herself and remembered that she was only wearing a short night dress and short night gown. She blushed and immediately ran back into the TARDIS, slamming the doors closed as she hurried to the wardrobe.

The one problem that River faced was: what to wear? The wardrobe was a maze of coat hangers on beams and drawers filled with clothes. She walked over to the formal wear and she was inspecting the variety.

Every now and again, River would spot something and try it on but finding the perfect outfit was difficult. She didn't know what to expect, who to expect.

Just then, she spotted the most beautiful and elegant dress that was crying out to be worn. River grabbed hold of the soft material and pulled it off the rack. She headed towards the fitting room at the end of the maze of clothes to try it on- a perfect fit.

She was ready; River was heading out to an unfamiliar restaurant on an unknown planet with the one man she trusts completely, that was the only reassurance she needed.

She came to a halt outside a sophisticated looking building with a glass room on the top floor with a view of everything on the horizon gleaming in the amber sunset.

River took a step inside and she was given an envelope from a man in uniform at the door who immediately identified her. He had been given a detailed description and photo of this woman.

"Message for River Song." He said as River took the envelope from his hand.

She peeled open the envelope with her name on it and read the contents.

'_Top floor, table 23_

_The Doctor xx'_

She walked over to the teleport pad on the floor in the lobby and pressed the button to the top floor. The teleport surrounded her in a bright blue light and she was transported to the reception of the top floor 5 star restaurant and bar.

At one of the circular tables in a booth in the centre of the room was the Doctor sitting alone with a bottle of expensive looking drink next to him, unopened.

River smiled at him. "Hello Sweetie." her heavenly voice made the Doctor's hearts light up.

He looked over to the archway where the melodic chime came from, he smiled and was completely mesmerised by River's brilliance and beauty.

His eyes looked her up and down, focussing on every little, beautiful detail. River was wearing a pale turquoise figure-hugging dress that showed off her sexy and tempting curves. It was half way above her knees and the edge was ruffled, it had thin straps on the shoulders and silver gems on the torso. It was low cut and showed a fair amount of her chest. She also had matching turquoise and silver heels. Her golden curls hung loosely down her back and the front curls were pinned back.

"Hello gorgeous." The Doctor grinned.

He patted the booth seat next to him and River waltzed over to him and sat down. The Doctor opened the bottle and poured some into a glass for River and a glass for himself. It was a deep purple colour and fizzed like there were miniature fireworks exploding from the glass.

"So... why did you bring me here?" River casually asked taking a sip of the sweet, bubbling liquid.

"Because I love you, and I'm sorry." The Doctor also took a sip from his glass.

"If anyone needs to apologize, it's me. Not you."

"Well then, why do I feel guilty?"

"...Because you're a caring person and you don't like seeing others in pain."

"No, because I need to apologize."

"It wasn't you, it was my wrong doings finally catching up to me..."

"But the thing is this _is_ my fault. If I didn't leave you on Earth for so long, then you wouldn't have lost your job and..."

"...I'm gonna stop you there, Pretty boy, I lost my job because of my own attitude towards my spiteful boss." River interrupted.

"I just want you to be happy and feel loved." The Doctor gave up on arguing for now and he draped his arm around River's shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"I already do..."

She leaned towards his face until her lips pressed against his in a loving and passionate kiss.

After a nice evening meal and drink, the Doctor and River returned to 51st century Earth once more.

The Doctor opened the TARDIS door for River and stepped out after her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked for the hundredth time just on the journey home.

"...Positive." River answered.

She opened her back door and walked straight towards the phone. She picked it up and dialled a number quite forcefully. The dial tone started to ring, and then someone picked up on the other end.

"Yes, hello. This is River Song and I'm just calling to say... that I quit. I've got my own method of exploring the stars and it's a lot more fun than working for some stingy uptight man and having limitations on where I can go." She snapped.

The man on the other end was trying to convince her to stay.

"I don't care, I'm staying with the only man who is committed to me and who I love dearly. He's got something that no one at the agency has- passion, he has feelings for me and cares about me. I'm not forced to work until I get a result and I don't even know why I stayed with _you_ that long anyways! Now, Good-bye." And she slammed the phone down on the receiver.

The Doctor stood wide-eyed at her; she just quit the job she enjoyed for him.

"Let's get going!" River cheerfully smiled as she turned to face the Doctor.

"...Right." he added returning the smile. He walked to the back door of River's house and opened up the TARDIS doors by snapping his fingers. "Ready to leave?"

River nodded. "Good-bye old life, hello new one." She waved to her past and welcomed her future. She took several steps into the TARDIS and the doors eased closed behind her, she was not planning on returning any time soon.

"...Well the Stormcage Officers will still be searching for me so now I have no safe home and no job." River smiled. "I'm definitely not going back to Earth anytime soon!"

The Doctor just simply laughed in return and he leapt across the TARDIS to embrace River in a loving hug.

This all just simply confused Doctor, River is a doctor but when she introduces herself in the Library she is a professor, but she just quit her job so how can she become a professor?- Time travel is so complicated at times and for the Doctor that's most of the time.

Complexity didn't bother the Doctor one bit, all that mattered to him was his magnificent and loving wife, River Song, who he vowed to stay with and to protect and to love forever. This was the one promise he will always stand to...


End file.
